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In his mid seventies, he still wins plaudits for keeping Chanel fresh while preserving its classic appeal, designs for Italy’s Fendi and churns out collections under his own Lagerfeld labels. Lately, the bargainpriced ‘Karl Lagerfeld for H&M’ apparel line for Sweden’s Hennes & Mauritz touched off near-riots. That’s ‘Kaiser Karl’ as he is known in the fashion press. With his white ponytail, dark glasses, and black-and-white wardrobe, Lagerfeld is an enduring icon in an industry where superstardom is usually fleeting and continues to remain one of the fashion forces of this century. Yet he recoils at the suggestion that he has become an institution. “The moment you stop and think about your past, the magic starts to fade,” he says. “Change is the healthiest way to survive.” As an avid photographer, Lagerfeld often shoots his own press photos. Lagerfield not only creates high-priced ready-to-wear with a couture look, he also makes anyone he ‘dresses up’. Such is the influence of Karl Lagerfeld in the fashion world.
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1955
Karl Lagerfeld (22) awarded a position as an apprentice at Pierre Balmain
1958
Karl moves to Jean Patou, designing two haute couture collections a year for five years
1963
Karl begins designing for Tiziani,
a Roman couture house
1964
Lagerfeld begins to freelance for
French fashion house Chloe
1972
Karl’s Spring 1973 collection garners headlines; begins collaborating with Fendi, designing furs, clothing and
accessories
1984
Lagerfeld establishes his own design business
1988
Allies with German mass market apparel manufacturer Steilmann to produce his diffusion line called ‘KL by Karl Lagerfeld’. |
1992
Karl Lagerfeld label is bought by Richemont Holding for allegedly $26 million.
1997
Vendome sells back all rights of the Lagerfeld label to Lagerfeld himself.
2002
Lagerfeld designs the costumes for the Carmen sequences in the film Callas Forever
2004
Designs outfits for Madonna for her Re-Invention tour; collaborates with the international Swedish fashion brand H&M
2006
Lagerfeld announces the launch of a new collection for men and women dubbed K Karl Lagerfeld
2010
Lagerfeld expands his portfolio
by releasing a short film Remember Now, written and directed by him,
pre-viewing the 2011 Cruise
Collection of fashion house
Chanel |
